Description: THE REVOLUTION

Where: Capitol Hill

Location: Independence Ave. Washington, DC

The Plan: To descend on Washington D.C. in July 2010 from the north, south, and west on a early Friday morning, to handover legal documents for the members of Congress to sign, and have the President of the United States of America sign them into law by the following Monday afternoon.

If the members of Congress do not sign our documents or the President of the United States of America don't sign them into law by Monday Afternoon, the 2nd Civil War is on!

Goal: To hold a peaceful demonstration for four days in Washington D.C. and to walk away knowing we have total freedom, as long as we don't harm others.

Please come join us at facebook, and let the would watch this unfold!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=217231800012

Written by Elizabeth Larson Thursday, 16 July 2009 UPPER LAKE – A local marijuana advocate surrendered himself to authorities last week in order to begin serving a 10-year federal prison sentence.

Charles “Eddy” Lepp, 57, of Upper Lake turned himself in on July 6 to federal authorities in Lompoc, according to his wife, Linda Lepp.

In May Lepp was sentenced to two concurrent 10-year terms after having been convicted in September of 2008 of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and cultivation of more than 1,000 marijuana plants, as Lake County News has reported.

A federal jury convicted Lepp of growing 24,784 marijuana plants on his 20-acre property in Upper Lake.

Lepp, who was indicted in 2004, has maintained his innocence. He has been a proponent of legalizing marijuana and is a Rastafarian minister who has alleged that authorities have violated his freedom of religion and his ministry.

He was the first person in California to be acquitted in a prosecution under 1996's Compassion Use Act, Proposition 215, which allowed patients to use medical marijuana with a doctor's recommendation.

Linda Lepp said an appellate lawyer has been assigned to her husband's case, and the attorney has estimated that it will take two months to go through the materials and filing an appeal will take another six months. The case could be in court in June of 2010, Linda Lepp said.

Eddy Lepp is being held at the Federal Correctional Institution in Lompoc, which is a low security facility housing male inmates, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Now Linda Lepp and her husband's supporters are starting a push to get the attention of President Barack Obama.

“We have already sent over 7,000 letters to the president,” she said, but there's some concern that the messages were faxed to the wrong number, so they're starting over.

They're also responding to thousands of e-mail messages sent to Eddy Lepp's e-mail and working on his MySpace page, www.myspace.com/eddylepp , which Linda Lepp said has had 24,000 hits. They're also planning to post a Facebook page next week.

Linda Lepp said at some point in the future she'll be able to visit her husband. They married last September and then, in light of his conviction, Eddy Lepp had their marriage annulled. However, they remarried March 19.

She said she's received messages of support from all over the world. “It's pretty unreal, the support we're getting from well wishers.”

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at [email protected]

Source: Lake County News

For most of this decade, Bob Newland has been the voice of marijuana law reform in South Dakota. The photographer and Black Hills resident has organized Hempfests, lobbied for reform legislation in the state capitol, relentlessly crisscrossed the state from the Black Hills to the Sioux Valley, and organized medical marijuana petition drives. He is the director of South Dakota NORML and founder of South Dakotans for Safe Access. As a marijuana reform activist, Newland has been unstoppable -- until now.

Newland was arrested earlier this year after being pulled over while driving for carrying slightly under four ounces of marijuana on what his lawyer described as a "mission of mercy." Originally charged with possession with intent to distribute, the veteran activist accepted a plea bargain and pleaded guilty to possession of under a half-pound of marijuana, an offense that carries a sentence of up to two years in the state penitentiary. Prosecutors agreed to make no sentencing recommendations.

On Monday, Newland appeared in court in Rapid City to learn his fate. Judge John Delaney didn't throw the book at him -- he was sentenced to one year in jail, with all but 45 days suspended -- but threw him a curveball instead. While under the court's supervision for the next year, Newland must not exercise his First Amendment right to advocate for marijuana law reform in South Dakota.

According to the Rapid City Journal, which had a reporter in the courtroom, Judge Delaney had two issues with Newland's marijuana reform advocacy. He was determined that Newland not appear to have gotten off lightly, and he did not want Newland's words to encourage young people do drink or use drugs.

"You are not going to take a position as a public figure who got a light sentence," Delaney warned Newland before talking about how juvenile courts are packed with kids who have drug problems. "Ninety-five percent of my chronic truants are using pot," Delaney said.

The no free speech probation condition raised ire and eyebrows not only in South Dakota, but across the land. Concerns are being expressed not only by drug reformers and civil libertarians, but also by legal scholars.

Eddy tried claiming medical and religious protections but the arguments were not allowed in Federal Court.

Once we got to Lompoc we pulled over for a photo opp under the signs pointing to the Prison. Photos by Charles C. Lynch

(PISMO BEACH, Calif.) - Today Eddy Lepp called me at about 10:30 a.m. and said they were getting ready to pass through Pismo Beach. I hopped into my car and caught up with them on the freeway and followed them to Lompoc.

Eddy's wife is comforted by the Minister of his church.

There was a traffic jam on the way down and I figured that in Eddy's mind there was probably no big rush as he was on his way to serve a 10 year mandatory sentence in Federal Prison for growing Marijuana.

Eddy had a farm where he was growing over 25,000 plants when he was raided by the DEA in 2004.

The feds prosecuted Eddy in Federal Court and he was convicted of growing more than 1000 marijuana plants which has a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence.

Eddy tried claiming medical and religious protections but the arguments were not allowed in Federal Court.

It was a sad moment as Eddy his wife and followers realized he was only minutes from a long sentence in Federal Prison.

I was angered to think that Eddy was being taken from his family for marijuana. Eddy and his clan were a classic hippie family.

They were dressed in tie die outfits and many of them had tattoos of marijuana leaves. Some talked about some strong religious beliefs they had.

The last walk in freedom.

It was here I understood the importance of freedom of religion. Although I might not have had the same beliefs as Eddy and his followers, I thought how people have to 'tolerate' other peoples beliefs even if you don't understand what they are talking about.

So Eddy with swollen eyes from years of battling the Federal Government and a strong conviction that he had done the right thing hopped into the van for his final ride as a free man.

During that last mile, Eddy stated that he was not afraid of jail as his camera man and others listened in great admiration and sorrow.

They passed around one more cigarette of the sacred herb and Eddy drank a Dr. Pepper as his camera man recorded Eddy's testimony.

I fought back tears as other grown men cried outwardly.

I asked Eddy about his release on bail pending appeal and he said the judge didn't even read the motion and denied it.

As we drove up to the penitentiary I just couldn't stop thinking how wrong this is to put people away and to break up families for marijuana.

Eddy and his wife: treasured moments.

It just seemed so cruel to take Eddy from his wife, his friends, and from society.

Two "Marijuanan Americans": Lynch & Lepp

They were not hurting anybody, they are just living the kind of life that makes them happy, the kind of life that millions of Americans live on a daily basis.

We walked Eddy into the building, and my internal outrage boiled quietly as the self-righteous Federal Agents did their jobs, as did the Nazi Prison Camp Guards, and took Eddy into custody and told everybody to leave.

As we turned and left the American POW camp I couldn't stop thinking what a cruel nation America can be to it's 'Marijuanan American' citizens.

I realized with great appreciation that I was a lucky man as I am out on bail pending appeal for a one year sentence for 'marijuana crimes'.

I was really lucky compared to what was happening to Eddy Lepp.

Two men, separate lives, separate life styles, separate beliefs, separate destinies but one common cause.

Eddy whispered to me as he held back his emotions 'keep the message alive'.

See recent Salem-News.com report: California Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Medical Marijuana

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Charles C. Lynch is the former owner and managing Caregiver for Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers in Morro Bay. The dispensary opened in 2006, operated for almost one year without any major problems. On March 29, 2007 the Local Sheriff and DEA agents raided the Dispensary and Home of Charles Lynch. Less than two months later, the Dispensary closed permanently. In July, Charles Lynch was arrested at his home and charged with Federal Marijuana Distribution. Lynch pleaded not guilty and went on trial July 22, 2008 in Los Angeles.

On August 5, 2008 Lynch was convicted in Federal Court for operating the Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers. On June 11, 2009 Charles C. Lynch was sentenced to one year and one day in Federal Prison. The case now moves to the ninth district court of appeals.

Reports about Charles Lynch: Meet California's Lawless Sheriff

Dirty Sheriff?

Medical Cannabis Protesters Ask Obama for Hope & Change

Will a California Court Martyr Charles Lynch or Avoid Disaster?

Sentencing in Charles Lynch California Medical Marijuana Case Delayed